Search found 37 matches

by DreamWeaver
Mon Nov 22, 2004 7:00 pm
Forum: Brewing Problems, Emergencies, Help!
Topic: Tube clogged over night
Replies: 2
Views: 7613

Sound OK to me!

Chances are that the beer is fine... And no flavor probs. I sometimes try to put too much in the primary or used a huge starter and have to use a blow-off tube. Positive pressure prolly saved ya. Have a blow off tube ready or just go ahead and put one on for a day or so until the primary fermentatio...
by DreamWeaver
Mon Nov 22, 2004 6:51 pm
Forum: Ingredients, Kits & Recipes
Topic: Azorean:Regarding your Octoberfest recipe.
Replies: 5
Views: 9954

Did you ever figure out where the infection came from? It's obviously not a recipe problem. I almost used a bottling bucket that I thought I had cleaned and sanitized but in a pinch, I had to switch buckets. In the mix up and not knowing if I had mixed the two buckets I decided even if I had already...
by DreamWeaver
Wed Nov 03, 2004 9:45 pm
Forum: Techniques, Methods, Tips & How To
Topic: Time to rack from primary to secondary
Replies: 2
Views: 5517

When To Rack

In General, (depending on many variables) I think it is safe to rack to secondary anytime after active fermentation has started & up to 10 days max (for me and my Ales). Some yeast types have a lasting krausen and some seem to drop fast or cling on to the sides but once active ferm is going, the...
by DreamWeaver
Fri Oct 15, 2004 8:46 pm
Forum: Techniques, Methods, Tips & How To
Topic: Space in the carboy
Replies: 1
Views: 4864

Some Headspace is OK

I think you will be OK. I too use large carboys and some headspace is going to be there. The beer will put off enough co2 to cover or blanket the beer and co2 is heavier than oxygen so it will protect it. As for how little is too little, I would say as long as the carboy is more than half full it wi...
by DreamWeaver
Wed Oct 06, 2004 7:55 pm
Forum: Equipment
Topic: PBW Alternative?
Replies: 11
Views: 96106

Oxi-Clean Problems

Just a note about using Oxi-Clean on anything in the brewery... I am not on an anti- Oxi-Clean venture but found it not recommended by the company to use on anything dealing in the food service or cleaning in the kitchen. ------------------------------------------- Here is a previous post of mine: &...
by DreamWeaver
Wed Oct 06, 2004 7:32 pm
Forum: News, Events & Announcements
Topic: I'm relocating!...
Replies: 4
Views: 20527

Good Luck!

Mesa,
Good luck in your new move & employment adventure and hope you get back to the boards soon. Meanwhile I'll be thinking up some tough Homebrewing Q's for ya! :D As I/we all appreciate your expert advice to us Hobby Homebrewers.

Cheers!

-DW
by DreamWeaver
Sat Sep 18, 2004 10:18 pm
Forum: Techniques, Methods, Tips & How To
Topic: Sparging
Replies: 19
Views: 26455

Re: Sparge rate

One bit of warning on fast sparging. I can't run off too quick because I end up simply sucking water down the sides of my bucket, rather than pulling the water through the grain bed. This means that I lose effeciency and run the risk of extracting tannin from the outer edge of the grain bed. If one...
by DreamWeaver
Thu Sep 16, 2004 10:52 pm
Forum: Techniques, Methods, Tips & How To
Topic: Sparging
Replies: 19
Views: 26455

Re: adding grain

just for point of reference, how much extra grain do you add during a batch sparge to bring up your efficiency? double your base malt? I usually add 1lb of base malt for batch sparging for each 5 gallons of brew at 1.25qts of strike water. And I always seem to come out higher SG than expected. Don'...
by DreamWeaver
Fri Sep 10, 2004 12:43 pm
Forum: Brewing Science
Topic: Quantifying a 'vigorous boil'
Replies: 4
Views: 12981

Boil-Off Rates

I will give some of my observations and hopefully someone else can either dispute or verify. ProMash uses 5% evap rate as default. I think Charlie Papazian says average of 10%. I get about 7%. I boil vigorously, uncovered, (for about 15 minutes) until after first wort hopping then turn down the heat...
by DreamWeaver
Wed Sep 01, 2004 9:25 pm
Forum: Brewing Problems, Emergencies, Help!
Topic: Black O-Ring fell into my wort!
Replies: 4
Views: 11388

Give it An Appropriate Name!

I too think you will be OK. You'll look back and laugh later over the possible anxiety it caused. I know I've had some stress over things like this. Just think... It's incidents like this that giver beer a Great Name... something like ... "Black Hole?" or "O-Ring Oktoberfest" the...
by DreamWeaver
Wed Sep 01, 2004 1:28 am
Forum: Brewing Science
Topic: Quantifying a 'vigorous boil'
Replies: 4
Views: 12981

Re: Quantifying a 'vigorous boil'

How do I know if my boil is vigorous enough? Nate Here's my take on the subject. I'll dance around it (The Oktoberfest Chicken Dance). When my wort is near boiling I will turn up the heat and skim off the foam and let it come to near boilover, hard rolling boil & skim some more. To me that is v...
by DreamWeaver
Wed Sep 01, 2004 1:15 am
Forum: General
Topic: 15 Gallon Beer Kegs
Replies: 4
Views: 9114

See if there are any beer distributors in the neighborhood. I have one about 10 miles away, and got a 15 gallon keg from them for $10. They won't sell you one from Miller or other big names, but they had a keg from a small brewery they ended up with and I snagged it. One thing, when you call the di...
by DreamWeaver
Mon Aug 23, 2004 11:20 pm
Forum: Equipment
Topic: Galvanized steel brew ware
Replies: 5
Views: 13991

NO to Galvanized Metal For Brewing!

I am a BBQ meat smokin fool! And a few years back I did'nt want to drag my large BBQ Smokin unit to a camp site, so I looked into something portable and cheap. I found evidence that galvanized metal trash cans are lined with zinc and can give off toxic fumes at temps above 175*f. Meat smoking is don...
by DreamWeaver
Wed Aug 18, 2004 9:05 pm
Forum: Brewing Problems, Emergencies, Help!
Topic: Make-up Water?
Replies: 3
Views: 9110

Sounds like you are off to a good start. I wonder if your OG reading of 1.070 was adjusted for temperature? Sounds a bit high, especially for an extract kit. Also I find that brewing lingo is sometimes slanged or misinterrpreted to mean something else to someone else. (Confused?... My point) Make-up...
by DreamWeaver
Wed Aug 18, 2004 8:47 pm
Forum: Brewing Science
Topic: New Brewing Research Conclusions....
Replies: 48
Views: 228462

Thanks!

Looks like I can improve with using some of your advice. I see I need to boil longer. And recirculate a bit longer too. I appreciate your taking the time to elaborate on this. I am not a newbie but am an avid Hobbyist Homebrewer doing all-grain, just looking to improve with education. OK, maybe some...